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Sense of smell - decreased or increased?

I was wondering if anyone who has undergone radiation treatment to the head/neck region noticed an increase in their sense of smell? Or perhaps a decrease?

I read an account online of someone whose smell sense increased during treatment and they thought it likely due to a compensation for the lost of taste, due to the idea that when one of our sensory perceptions is decreased or lost, another increases to compensate for it.

I have noticed an increase in my sense of smell, especially the past week or two (I'm currently entering week 5 of a 7-week treatment course), especially to things like food, plants, and people. I was on my deck last night watering my herbs and the scent of many of them hit me very strongly, something I never noticed before. I have also noticed that people have odors (not pleasant). I have been bugging my son about showering and washing his clothes because I pick up odors when he is around me, and I never noticed them like this before. I assumed it was hit fault, but now I'm wondering if it's just me.

Curious if anyone else has noticed the same thing as me? Or did your smell stay the same or decrease?

I found that smells were enhanced, good or bad. It was the bad I had/have an issue with. Something that doesn't agree with my nose is bad for my stomach is you know what I mean. And now with the PEG, I get a whiff of sour stomach formula when I open the plug... YUCK!

"T"

PS... Jeff... I found I had a funky "chemical" smell during treatment. Marcia didn't notice it but I sure did!

Yes, my sense of smell increased during treatments, as you stated, I basically had no taste, or at least food tasted like cardboard and fluids tasted like aluminum cans......I think I was part Billy Goat for some time....

The increase of smell did help me mentally as I tried to eat foods that I couldn't taste, going on memory...

It seems bionic noses happen to lots of us. During rads and for a while after, I could rival my German Shepherd for finding dead rodents in a 5 acre pasture. On the plus side, I experienced deja-vu more in that time than any time in my life...I liked that part.

Thats amazing I feel jipped. I could have challenged the dog in a hunt in the woods for something dead. I can honestly say that my sense of smell (as well as my smell) never changed during or after radiation.

John I was only able to beat you because I responded before you. It was a slow day at the office. Nobody got in trouble.

perfumes, cigarettes, dryer sheets, you name itIi could notice it where I never noticed it before. I can relate to the smelling of peoples odors, weird but it somehow seemed to compensate for the loss of taste as you said. Back to normal now. I wish I had experienced that deja vu phenomonem that p51 had.

I walked into the garage and said "ugh...a dead mouse" Sure enough, hubby checked the trap and there he was. No one else could smell it, but I thought it smelled horrible. Everything is intensified right now.

My sense of smell definiteky increased. It reminded me a lot of pregnancy & hoe sensitive I was to smell then. Food was the worst for me, also other people's body odor...which as you say may have not even been that bad. When I was almost done with treatnent I wouldn't let my husband get that clise to me b/c I felt like my mouth had a bad odor. As much as I rinsed and cleaned I just couldn't get away from it. My husband said he couldn't smell anything at all.

Funny that you guys mention the chemical smell. When I returned from my 1st treatment yesterday my English Bull Terrier would not leave me alone, was smelling me like I had a pork chop hidden in my pockets. LOL. I thought he just really missed me. Now it makes sense.

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